My father was an amateur master gardener. His retirement summers revolved around vegetable gardening. He loved to grow and eat beets. I confess that I am not even close to a master gardener but I used to try to grow vegetables any time that I had outdoor space for a garden. I have been successful in many areas of my life but for the life of me, I could not grow beets in Northern Nevada. My dad would give me advice on soil and watering to no avail. I have to rely on the CSA for my veggies now and there has been an abundance of beets in my basket. I usually oven roast beets to bring out the sweet, caramelized flavor but it has been so hot that I refuse to use my oven. These beets were grilled on the BBQ in a grill pan over indirect heat until crisp tender and served with a side of goat cheese. Goat cheese and beets were made to be served together! Their flavors compliment each other with sweet, earthy, tangy goodness.
I hope you enjoy this simple recipe. Beets are a superfood with antioxidants, vitamin C, iron, manganese and fiber. Who doesn’t love a great source for manganese? Eat the greens too, sautéed in olive oil.
Take what you need and savor every bite.

Ingredients:
Beets sliced or wedged. 1/4 slices will cook evenly and more quickly.
1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
2 teaspoons coriander seeds crushed
1 teaspoon crushed red proper flakes
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Directions:
Cut off greens and save for another dish. Scrub beets with a vegetable brush but don’t peel. (Of course you can peel them if you like purple hands but you won’t notice the peel after roasting.) Slice into 1/4 half moons. Toss with remaining ingredients. Use a grilling pan and grill over indirect heat keeping the temperature around 350 degrees F. You could put these in a oven at 350 degrees as an alternative. Grill until crisp tender about 40 minutes.

Serving suggestions:
Plate with plain or favored soft goat cheese or feta cheese.
Toss over a plate of intimidating greens, orange sections and a light citrus vinaigrette.
Serve with chopped beet greens lightly sautéed in olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
Eat them right out of the bowl. (I might have done this.)